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The lead author of the study, Timothy Sheahan, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said: "EIDD-2801 is an oral drug that could be administered at home, early after diagnosis.

"This has the potential to be as ubiquitous as Tamiflu in the future, as long as it proves to be safe and effective in people."

A new pill which can be taken orally could help those infected with Covid-19

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The researchers' results include data from cultured human lung cells infected with Sars CoV-2, the virus behind the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as mice infected with other related coronaviruses.

The study found that when used as a prophylactic, the drug can prevent severe lung injury, and that when given as a treatment 12 or 24 hours after infection has begun can reduce the degree of lung damage, in infected mice.

Its authors said EIDD-2801, which can be taken orally as a pill, could be used to treat less ill patients or prevent disease in places like care homes – where many people have been exposed but are not yet sick.

The pill has been tested on mice and is due for human clinical trials (Image: Getty Images/EyeEm)

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Professor of epidemiology Ralph Baric said: "This new drug not only has high potential for treating Covid-19 patients, but also appears effective for the treatment of other serious coronavirus infections."

Researchers said clinical trials in humans are due to begin later this spring.

Mr Sheahan said: "EIDD-2801 holds promise to not only treat Covid-19 patients today, but to treat new coronaviruses that may emerge in the future."

The new drug will help to reduce lung damage (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)